


Space Oddity

by jazzypizzaz



Category: Glee, Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Crossover, Friendship, Gen, crackship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-01
Updated: 2014-05-01
Packaged: 2018-01-21 11:23:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1548809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jazzypizzaz/pseuds/jazzypizzaz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Blaine's first love would always be performing, of course, but getting sucked into a wormhole and hurled through time and space tends to put a damper on childhood plans.  He's not in Lima anymore, and if Blaine is good at anything, it's learning to adapt and fit in.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Space Oddity

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nadiacreek](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nadiacreek/gifts).



> Beta'd by my Trekkie brother

 

They meet because of Spot.

 

Blaine is just finishing up a long first shift at the sickbay.  It's been a rough day for Blaine, shadowing Dr. Crusher as she walks him through how to use their equipment.  He had been anxious, before, in the weeks at Starfleet Academy leading up to this assignment--  all Blaine's old doubts about going into medicine had flared up upon learning he'd be working for the great Captain Picard on the Starship Enterprise-- but today has eased many of his earlier insecurities.  Dr. Crusher is a surprisingly easy-going coworker, and competent too-- Blaine can tell he will be learning a lot from her in the coming weeks.

 

Blaine's first love will always be performing, of course, but getting sucked into a freak wormhole and hurled through time and space into the future tends to put a damper on childhood plans.  He's not in Lima anymore, but if Blaine is good at anything, it's learning to adapt and blend in.

 

[I'm stepping through the door](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcyuKUtgyZ8)

And I'm floating in a most peculiar way

And the stars look very different today

 

So anyway, he's singing under his breath, a bit dazed from staring at flashing charts for too long, and wondering not for the first time what Kurt would think of his life here, when a cat darts out underfoot and he almost trips.

 

"Wha-- oh!  What are you doing here?"  Blaine stoops down to pet its head, surprised.  "Who do you belong to, little fellow?"

 

Of all the wonders he expected to encounter on the ship, a domestic house cat was not one of them.  Who knows, maybe it sprouts wings or it's actually an android--

 

A strangely pale man pokes his head out from a nearby doorway.  "Spot!  Spot!  Where--  Hello there, I believe you've found my fuzzy friend who so cleverly escaped from my grasp. I have been attempting to teach him to sit and stay, but it seems he would prefer not to."

 

Blaine lets out a chuckle, and stands up, scooping Spot up in the process.  "Well it was nice meeting Mr. Bartleby here, but I didn't catch your name?"

 

The man tilts his head, quizzical.  "Ensign Anderson, I am Lieutenant Commander Data, pleased to meet you."

 

Blaine's eyebrows shoot up.  "Wow, they told me you were smart, but how did you know who--"

 

"That was an old Earth literature reference, and you were previously singing a classic Earth song about space, from an era when interstellar travel was much a more difficult endeavor.  Your situation is quite well known."  

 

Data stares into Blaine's eyes intently, pensive.  Blaine shifts Spot in his arms, briefly wondering if mind-reading programs were a thing.  "True, I suppose it would be.  It's not everyday you meet someone from hundreds of years ago I suppose."

 

"Also you are wearing the blue medical uniform and do not resemble Beverly."  Data's blank face cracks with a sly smile.

 

Another chuckle erupts from a forgotten place within Blaine.  "Smart _and_ funny, no one told me."

 

Data's upturned lip cracks into a grin.  "Cute too, I have been reliably informed.  How have you been enjoying life on the ship?"

 

Blaine's smile widens, stretching muscles he didn't realize had been in disuse.  "It's fine, fine... I think I could be fine."  Blaine realizes what he says is sincere and that surprises him.

 

Data tilts his head again, that intent look on his face.  "But you were not happy before?"

 

Blaine's smile fades a little.  "Well, it was really tough for a long time, but now that I'm here on the ship it’s better-- helping people, seeing the universe, it's a bit of a relief, ya know?  I mean, it's not what I imagined for my life, obviously, when I was growing up... Being a doctor was always just a pipe dream back-up plan, and well I always thought I’d live in New York..."  

 

Blaine gestures vaguely to a nearby window with its view of a starry galaxy.

 

"You miss your Earth life," Data says simply.

 

Blaine shrugs and shuffles his feet, shifting to stare out at the vast space.  The stars twinkle merrily, but still they cannot drown out the surrounding blackness.  The brief delight he had felt from their earlier exchange was now dissipating.  

 

“I miss my friends.  I miss my fiancee.”   _I miss feeling like I belong._  Blaine gives a sad smile and darts a glance back at Data.

 

“You have an excellent singing voice.”  While to an outsider it may sound like Data is changing the subject, Blaine finds this to be a perfectly applicable transition.  Music was his community, back in Lima.

 

“Thanks,” Blaine says, ducking his head shyly.  

 

“I dabble in the arts myself.  However, while I have accurately mastered the structure, I have been told that it lacks ‘emotional integrity’, which is apparently a key aspect of performance.”  Data stares at him intently.  “If I may risk intruding, I would guess you do not have that problem.  I hope that is not too personal of an observation.”

 

“No, I suppose not.”  An awkward silence follows, until Spot starts squirming in Blaine’s arms, claws out.  “Ow! Hey--”

 

“Ah!  Yes I should take Spot back to our quarters.  Perhaps I will attempt to teach him scrivening next, if he prefers,” Data says, gently taking Spot into his grasp.  It’s kind of a lame joke, but it eases the tension.  

 

Data hesitates for a moment, then says, “If it is not too much of a bother, I would be grateful if you helped me practice my singing sometime.  The holosuite has several customizable programs with excellent acoustics.”

 

“Customizable?”

 

“Perhaps you could use it to show me a place that you enjoy singing?  One that inspires emotion?”

 

Blaine smiles, and his heart is lighter again, though he’s not sure if he could bring himself to show Data the choir room or Dalton’s staircase.  The thought that the possibility exists, however, is refreshing, and he is flooded with a rush of gratitude for Data and the thought of a new friendship.  

 

Plus, despite all the accusations of solo-hogging back in his old life, Blaine has always had a soft spot for duets.

 

“Yes… yeah, I would like that.  It’s been a while since I had someone to sing with.”  


End file.
